Annie Fell
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editor-in-chief of @Talkhouse Music welcome to my electronic mansion annalizfell@gmail.com
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Articles by Annie Fell
One Great Thing: Gia Margaret
One Great Thing is a weekly series where artists tell us all about one thing they’ve been really into lately. This week, the Chicago-based singer-songwriter Gia Margaret tells us why she listened to Sam Wilkes, Craig Weinrib, and Dylan Day “almost every day” this summer. Gia’s record Singing is out now on Jagjaguwar. — Annie Fell, Editor-in-chief, Talkhouse Music It’s a little cliche, I suppose, to speak about music I’ve been into as of late… But, alas, I am obsessed with music.
Whitney and Robert Lester Folsom Talk “See You Later, I’m Gone”
Julien Ehrlich and Max Kakacek are the Chicago-based band Whitney; Robert Lester Folsom is a singer-songwriter from Georgia, and now based in Jacksonville, Florida. Whitney just put out a cover of Robert’s song “See You Later, I’m Gone,” and to celebrate, the three got on a Zoom call to chat about it. — Annie Fell, Editor-in-chief, Talkhouse Music Julien Ehrlich: Where are you at right now? Robert Lester Folsom: I’m at home in Jacksonville.
Mood Board: Junior Varsity’s Ready
Mood Board is our column where artists share a few of the things that inspired their new record. This time, Junior Varsity — aka, the LA duo Greg Aram and Zach Michel — tell us how the video game Arc Raiders, the moon, and more inspired their new EP Ready. — Annie Fell, Editor-in-chief, Talkhouse Music 1. Arc Raiders I’ve always loved music hardware, I don’t know how to use half of the gear we work with but always admired certain speaker and synth designs.
Gem Club and Charlie Engman Talk Through a Decade-Plus of Collaboration
Chris Barnes is a pianist and songwriter who records as Gem Club; Charlie Engman is a photographer and filmmaker. Chris and Charlie have been collaborators since around 2011, starting with, as they tell the story, a set of press photos that ended in a federal arrest, and continuing through music videos for Gem Club’s songs “252,” “Polly,” and most recently “Aperture.” On the release day of Gem Club’s new album, Emerald Press, the two caught up about it all over Google Meet.
Mood Board: Gnaw’s Inside a Machine That’s Glistening
Mood Board is our column where artists share a few of the things that inspired their new record. This time, guitarist Daniel Lim, vocalist Tara Tan, and drummer Zakhran Khan of the Singapore band Gnaw tell us how rust, abandonment, Tetsuya Nakashima, and more inspired their debut EP Inside a Machine That’s Glistening — out now. — Annie Fell, Editor-in-chief, Talkhouse Music 1. Confessions (2010) by Tetsuya Nakashima Confessions was a major influence on the EP.
Introducing: Groupie’s “Swan Song”
A plant’s story rooted itself in my mind years ago. I didn’t realize it then, but its themes of death and renewal would eventually inspire me to write “Swan Song.” Agave plants bloom only once, at the very end of their lives. This rare and final flowering is known as a death bloom — a last, dramatic act before the plant dies. At Garfield Park Conservatory, in my hometown of Chicago, an agave plant named Mayahuel (or Maya for short) bloomed once at the end of its 60 year life in 2021.
Mood Board: Accessory’s Dust
Mood Board is a column where artists share a few of the things that inspired their new record. This time, Accessory — aka, the Chicago-based artist Jason Balla, also of Dehd and Earring — tells us how his mom’s piano, Miles Davis, Astrid Sonne, and more inspired his debut record Dust, out today. — Annie Fell, Editor-in-chief, Talkhouse Music 1. The Piano When my mom passed away she left me a piano. It was sitting in storage for a few years until I moved into a first floor apartment.
Mood Board: ADULT.’s Kissing Luck Goodbye
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Hear First: ESYA’s Chasing Desire
As a teen, I always knew when my mum had arrived to pick me up from my friends’ house, from the music emanating from the car outside. Back then I would have probably blushed — embarrassed by the sounds being emitted, that by association represented me. My family home was similar, as music played throughout life in our household. My friends thought it was cool. I, however, had an adolescent cringe, not wanting to stand out. My parents had me very young at the age of 16.
Mood Board: Otracami’s Runoff
Mood Board is our column where artists share a few of the things that inspired their new record. This time, Otracami, aka the Brooklyn-based artist Camila Ortiz, tells us how Mariana Enriquez, doorways, Bones and All, and more inspired her new record Runoff (out now via Figure & Ground). — Annie Fell, Editor-in-chief, Talkhouse Music 1. Mariana Enriquez’s Our Share of the Night I read this book right in the middle of writing the album.
Ratboys and Remember Sports Made Their New Record in the Same Room
Julia Steiner fronts the Chicago band Ratboys; Carmen Perry fronts the Philly band Remember Sports, and plays solo under her own name. Both bands put out new records last month — Ratboys’ Singin’ to an Empty Chair and Remember Sports’ The Refrigerator — so to celebrate, the two friends got on a call to catch up about it all. — Annie Fell, Editor-in-chief, Talkhouse Music Julia Steiner: I just gotta say, I’m truly in love with your new album.
Carré́ and Bbyafricka are on the Same Wavelength
Bbyafricka is a rapper, poet, and model from LA; Carré is a producer, DJ, and co-founder of the label Fast At Work, also originally from LA but now based in London. Bbyafricka is featured on the title track from Carré’s new EP, Hibiscus — out now on Tempa —and to celebrate, the two got on the phone to catch up about it, and much more. — Annie Fell, Editor-in-chief, Talkhouse Music Carré: How are you feeling about the response to “Hibiscus,” and also in general with the music you just put out?
Cut Worms’ Album Titles From the Cutting Room Floor
Album titles, and sometimes song titles too, are difficult for me. Even names of people (which is a type of title. I guess) are often hard for me to remember. For whatever reason, I don’t identify people or things by their names in my head — it’s more like an abstract feeling about who or what they are that I attribute to them, and a name almost feels too constricting or reductive. I guess that might sound crazy. Whatever it is, It certainly isn’t very practical.
Lydia Lunch and Joseph Keckler Embrace Each Other
Joseph Keckler is a singer-songwriter and author based in New York, who last year premiered the performance piece A Good Night in the Trauma Garden, commissioned and presented by The Metropolitan Museum of Art; Lydia Lunch is a legendary musician, poet, actor, and so much more. Earlier this year, Joseph released his latest single “Believer,” and to celebrate it, he and his frequent collaborator sat down to catch up. — Annie Fell, Editor-in-chief, Talkhouse Music Joseph Keckler: Well, Lydia.
Talkhouse Weekend Playlist: Clarinets! with The Notwist
Markus Acher fronts the German indie rock band The Notwist. To celebrate The Notwist’s latest record — News from Planet Zombie, which just came out this week via Morr Music — Markus is sharing a selection of his favorite songs featuring clarinets. Stream it below, and if you’re in the mood for more great music featuring the woodwind instrument, be sure to check out News from Planet Zombie.
Mute Swan and Citrus Clouds Make It Work
Erick Pineda is the vocalist and guitarist for the Phoenix, AZ-based band Citrus Clouds; Mike Barnett is the vocalist and guitarist for the Tucson, AZ-based band Mute Swan. The new Mute Swan record, Skin Slip, is out tomorrow on Hit the North, and to celebrate, Mike and Erick got on a call to chat about it, and much more. — Annie Fell, Editor-in-chief, Talkhouse Music Erick Pineda: Are you excited about the record coming out finally? Mike Barnett: Absolutely.
smush Had a Lot of Fun Covering Field Medic
Emily Borrowman and Atley King are the Brooklyn-based shoegaze duo smush; Kevin Patrick Sullivan is a LA-based folk musician who performs as Field Medic. On their new covers EP, standards, smush cover the Field Medic song “henna tattoo.” To celebrate the release Emily and Atley got on Zoom with Kevin to chat about it, and much more. — Annie Fell, Editor-in-chief, Talkhouse Music Emily Borrowman: We’re really excited to talk to you. I have lots that I want to ask you about.
Tōth and Kimbra Have a Dance Party
Alex Toth is a Brooklyn-based multi-instrumentalist songwriter and producer who co-founded the collective Rubblebucket and performs as Tōth; Kimbra is a New Zealand-born singer-songwriter. Kimbra features on “Touching,” a track off of the new Tōth record, And The Voice Said — out today on Egghunt/Northern Spy — so to celebrate, the longtime friends sat down to catch up about it. — Annie Fell, Editor-in-chief, Talkhouse Music Alex Toth: That was a great little dance party we just did.
PACKS and Triples Get To Know Each Other Better
Eva Link is a Toronto-based singer-songwriter who performs as Triples; Madeline Link is a Toronto-based singer-songwriter who performs as PACKS, and happens to also be Eva’s sister. The debut Triples EP, Every Good Story, just came out last month on Bleak Enterprise, and to celebrate the release, Madeline called Eva from their grandparents’ house to catch up about it, and much more.
Pullman Is Really Busy
Pullman is an acoustic supergroup featuring Ken “Bundy K.” Brown (of Tortoise and Directions in Music), Curtis Harvey (of Rex), Chris Brokaw (of Come and Codeine), and Doug McCombs (of Tortoise and Eleventh Dream Day), and drummer Tim Barnes. Last month, on January 9, their latest record, III, came out via Western Vinyl. To celebrate, Ken, Curtis, and Chris got on Zoom to catch up about the creation of it on the eve of the release.
Zola Jesus and Devon Welsh Will Die on the Daguerreotypes Hill
James Samimi Farr is a Minnesota-based songwriter who plays under the name Daguerreotypes; Nika Danilova is a Wisconsin-based artist who performs as Zola Jesus and NIKA; Devon Welsh is formerly one-half of Majical Cloudz and now releases music under his own name. The debut Daguerreotypes record, This Is My Way to Tell You That Everything Is Real and Happening Right Now, just came out at the end of last year, and to celebrate the three friends sat down to chat about it, and much more.
Best of 2025: Jane Inc Was Really Into Late Era Joni Mitchell Last Year
It seems every year I have to have a Joni album that takes up a large portion of my listening, and this year it was Turbulent Indigo. What drew me in initially was her solo performance of “Sex Kills” on Letterman (a highly recommended YouTube video). I love the title, and the guitar feedback over the album cut. This era of like, “adult alternative” (?) production or whatever you might call it is feeling very good to me right now.
EarthBall and Wolf Eyes Make Spontaneous Chaos
EarthBall is a psychedelic improvisational rock band from Nanaimo, British Columbia, featuring Isabel Ford, John Brennan, Jeremy Van Wyck, Liam Murphy, and Kellan Maclaughlin; John “Inzane Johnny” Olson is a musician and visual artist who plays in the Michigan-based noise rock band Wolf Eyes.
Best of 2025: Tchotchke Turned to Lighter Music During a Strange Time
Hunx have the best attitude. Their strong wit and tough, cheeky personas radiate throughout their records just as brightly as they do on stage. They have fun, they rock! Their latest record, Walk Out On This World, is one of my favorite albums of 2025. It perfectly encapsulates the riot these past couple years have been, and their sense of humor remains strong and keeps the spirits high.
Best of 2025: Sedona Loves K-EARTH 101
I got a radio, and I haven’t used my nice speakers once this year. I’m always listening to music, and the speakers I have in my room, I’ve had them since high school — they’re awesome. For 10 years I’d plug my computer or my phone into them and listen all day.
Best of 2025: Coffin Prick Hears a Lot of LA in Repetition Repetition
There is a paradox to the music compiled here. Overwhelming and sedating. Repetition Repetition is certainly Onomatopoeia-like. Self-designated as the “two-man electric minimalist band,” they deliver on their group name. Patterns weave around one another in endless streams of noted dissonance. A stark crow’s nest neatly resting on a slightly bending branch.
aron! and Hohnen Ford Want to be Your Friends This Holiday Season
aron! is a multi-instrumentalist jazz musician; Hohnen Ford is a singer-songwriter based in London. aron and Hohnen just put out a Christmas song together — “cozy you (christmas),” off of aron!’s three-track EP a cozy christmas — so to celebrate, the two got on the phone to chat about it. — Annie Fell, Editor-in-chief, Talkhouse Music aron: What are we talking about today? We’re talking about Christmas music? Hohnen Ford: Christmas music, what it means to us, and what it means to Gen Z. aron: Wow.
FearDorian and quinn Aren’t the Crazy Ones
Dorian Williams, aka FearDorian, is a producer, rapper, singer-songwriter, and DJ from Atlanta; Quinn Dupree, aka osquinn, or quinn, is also a producer, rapper, singer-songwriter, and DJ based in Atlanta. The wunderkinds recently put out a record together, Before You Press Play (out now on 3500), and to celebrate, they got on Zoom to catch up about the “fried” year that led to its creation. — Annie Fell, Editor-in-chief, Talkhouse Music Dorian Williams: Yo, Quinn, what’s up?
runo plum and Searows Goof Around
runo plum is a singer-songwriter based in Minneapolis; Searows is Alec Duckart, a singer-songwriter based in Portland. runo’s debut record patching is out now on Winspear, so to celebrate, the former tourmates got on Zoom for a little Q&A. — Annie Fell, Editor-in-chief, Talkhouse Music runo plum: I’m nervous. Alec Duckart: I know! runo: I’ve never done something like this. Alec: Me neither. runo: Usually the people have such good questions.
Dao Strom and Patrick Shiroishi Have Hope
Patrick Shiroishi is multi-instrumentalist & composer based in Los Angeles; Dao Strom is a poet, musician, writer, and interdisciplinary artist based in Portland, Oregon. Dao’s latest record, Tender Revolutions — which is part of a larger project called Tender Revolutions/Yellow Songs, comprising a four EP song-cycle and four chapbooks — was released earlier this fall. So to celebrate, she and Patrick got on a call to chat about the creation of it, and much more.
Cassandra Jenkins and Constant Smiles Listen to Moonflowers
Cassandra Jenkins is a singer-songwriter born and raised in New York City; Ben Jones is fronts the New York-based band Constant Smiles. Cassandra features on the new Constant Smiles record, Moonflowers, so to celebrate, the two got together and listened back to the whole thing. — Annie Fell, Editor–in-chief, Talkhouse Music Cassandra Jenkins: So, we’re doing a thing I’ve never done before with Talkhouse, which is, we’re gonna listen to the album while we’re talking.
Gumm and Fiddlehead Don’t Write Easy Songs
Pat Flynn fronts the MA hardcore bands Fiddlehead and Have Heart; Drew Waldon fronts the Tennessee-based band Gumm. Gumm’s new record, Beneath the Wheel, is out now on Convulse, so to celebrate, he and Pat got on the line to catch up about it, and much more. — Annie Fell, Editor-in-chief, Talkhouse Music Pat Flynn: We’re just having a conversation, right? Drew Waldon: Yeah. [Laughs.] It’s so loose. Pat: Awesome.
Mood Board: Hatchie’s Liquorice
Mood Board is our column where artists share with us a few of the things that inspired their new record. This time, Australian indie pop artist Harriette Pilbeam, aka Hatchie, tells us how intimacy, long walks, the concept of “what could have been,” and more inspired her new record Liquorice — out today on Secretly Canadian. — Annie Fell, Editor-in-chief, Talkhouse Music 1.
Peel Dream Magazine and Living Hour Make Pretty Music
Joe Stevens fronts the LA indie rock band Peel Dream Magazine; Sam Sarty and Gil Carroll are members of the Winnipeg-based indie rock band Living Hour. Living Hour’s new record Internal Drone Infinity is out now on Keeled Scales, so to celebrate, the collaborators got on a Zoom call to catch up about it, and much more. — Annie Fell, Editor-in-chief, Talkhouse Music Sam Sarty: Where are you right now? What are you doing? Joe Stevens: I’m sitting in a cafe in Denver.
Echoes in the Moonlight
“It is right of the grandfather to tell the grandson later what was said while in the womb… It is the right of the grandfather to give the name that will serve as a life program to its bearer.” These words from Ritual: Power, Healing and Community by Malidoma Somé resonate with my idea of how my Gũka, my grandfather, Joseph Kamaru, spoke to me while I was still in my mother’s womb.
Talkhouse Weekend Playlist: Pictureplane’s Halloween Weekend
Pictureplane is a Brooklyn-based musician, visual artist, fashion designer, and generally eerie figure. (This past summer, I saw his dungeon synth side project KLOKHET play a spooky church in Queens.) His latest record, Sex Distortion, is out today via Music Website, so it felt right for him to share a few tracks with us to help soundtrack this Halloween weekend. Play it while you get dressed up, and don’t forget to add Sex Distortion to the queue.
Kerala Dust and Other Lives Let the Song Lead the Way
Edmund Kenny fronts the Berlin-based indie electronic band Kerala Dust, whose latest record An Echo of Love came out back in August; Jesse Tabish is a multi-instrumentalist who leads the Stillwater, Oklahoma band Other Lives. The new Other Lives record, Volume V, came out earlier this month, so to celebrate both releases, the artists got on a Zoom call to catch up about it. If you’re in the US, you can catch Kerala Dust on tour starting November 5 in Washington DC.
What Zohran Means For Alternative Music in New York
I. On January 8, 2025, a 33-year-old socialist former rapper holds a fundraiser for his long shot mayoral bid at Baby’s All Right, a decade-old Williamsburg venue that’s become a fixture of the city’s alternative music scene. Now a state assembly member, only six years earlier he had been releasing tongue-in-cheek music videos under the name “Mr. Cardamom” while tutoring SATs to support himself.
Jovial's Mount Crystal
Mood Board is our column where artists share with us a few of the things that inspired their new record. This time, the North London-based multidisciplinary artist Joviale talks how Paris Is Burning, Fargo, and James Baldwin helped shape their debut record, Mount Crystal — out now on Ghostly International. — Annie Fell, Editor-in-chief, Talkhouse Music 1. Paris Is Burning Black, queer, drama, flair, survival, unity, and beauty. When people ask me if I could travel in time, where would I go?
Mood Board: Jane Inc.’s A RUPTURE A CANYON A BIRTH
Mood Board is our column where artists share with us a few of the things that inspired their new record. This time, the Toronto-based artist Carlyn Bezic, aka Jane Inc., gives us some insight into the art, music, and writing that helped shape A RUPTURE A CANYON A BIRTH — out today on Telephone Explosion. — Annie Fell, Editor-in-chief, Talkhouse Music 1.
Pansy's "Walk Dangerous (Chasers)"
After three years of a roiling, semi-suicidal hell, my life had finally begun to fall into place in February 2020 (perfect timing, I know). I credit a surgery. A surgeon had taken a scalpel to my hairline, peeled my face from my skull, bossed my brow, chiseled my chin, and broken my nose. With care, I was brutally, bloodily re-made. Life was good once the swelling subsided. I liked who and what I saw in the mirror. The friction of life suddenly eased. The street harassment dropped off.
Scowl and Destiny Bond Connect Really Hard
Kat Moss fronts the Santa Cruz hardcore band Scowl; Cloe Madonna fronts the Denver hardcore band Destiny Bond. The new Destiny Bond record, The Love, will be out October 17 on Convulse, so to celebrate, Kat and Cloe got together to chat about it, and much more. — Annie Fell, Editor-in-chief, Talkhouse Music Kat Moss: Yay! Look at us! How are you? Cloe Madonna: Good! I’m pulling up my little notes. Kat: I wrote some in my journal. Cloe: Cute! Kat: At first I was like, I don’t have any notes.
On Learning How to Tell Your Stories
They applauded, “Hear, hear!” My grandfather patted the rooster’s head. The chicken cried. And the yam festival had begun. I was going to call my debut album YAMS. I called it SWEET TOOTH instead. I was gathering fragments for stories I didn’t yet know how to tell. This one begins in the summer of 2018, visiting my grandfather in Enugu, in the east of Nigeria, where my mother’s family calls home. August 17, 2018 Many people go “home” for the yam festival. It marks the end of the rainy season.
Talkhouse Weekend Playlist: Take a Silent Retreat with múm
múm is an electronic band from Iceland. Their latest record, History of Silence — their first full-length since 2013 — is out today on Morr Music. To celebrate, the band put together a playlist of tracks around the theme of silence. Sit with it this weekend, and be sure to check out the new record.
Bedbug and Pickle Darling Feel Like a Secret
Dylan Gamez Citron is the LA-based artist who records and performs as Bedbug; Lukas Mayo is the New Zealand artist behind Pickle Darling. The new Pickle Darling record, Bots, came out last week on Father/Daughter, so to celebrate the release, Dylan and Lukas got on a call to catch up about the state of bedroom pop, and much more — Annie Fell, Editor-in-chief, Talkhouse Music Dylan Gamez Citron: I’m in my attic. I just moved. Lukas Mayo: Like, you moved today? Dylan: No, I moved over the summer.
Pearly Drops and illumitati Deserve a Vacation
Sandra Tervonen and Juuso Malin are the Helsinki duo Pearly Drops; Tatiana Bruening, aka illumitati, is a photographer and artist based in LA, who also performs music as Contact Sports. Tatiana is featured on the new Pearly Drops record, The Voices Are Coming Back — out now via Music Website — so to celebrate its release, the three got on a call to catch up. — Annie Fell, Editor-in-chief, Talkhouse Music Juuso Malin: How are you? Tatiana Bruening: I’m doing well. I’m just here in LA.
Role Models: My Bloody Valentine Showed Lathe of Heaven How to Keep It Simple
Folks, they let the drummer write something. Nobody ever wants to hear from the drummer. I’m not complaining. It’s part of the instrument’s appeal. I get to be at the back of the stage, obscured. The only organized sport I ever played was baseball, and wouldn’t you know it, I was a catcher. Let the pitcher have the mound. I’ll be their anonymous anchor, crucial and blank, squatting in my mask. I stopped playing baseball around the time I started playing drums in bands.
Welcome to Adam Green’s Chat With Tchotchke
Adam Green is a singer-songwriter and multidisciplinary artist based in New York; Eva Chambers, Anastasia Sanchez, and Emily Tooraen are the Brooklyn-based pop band Tchotchke. Tchotchke’s latest record, Playin’ Dumb, is out tomorrow, and to celebrate, the trio got on a Zoom call and caught up about it with their friend Adam. — Annie Fell, Editor-in-chief, Talkhouse Music Adam Green: Welcome to the chat with Tchotchke. I’m Adam Green, your interviewer and host.
James K and Huerco S Have a Lot of Connections
Jamie Krasner, aka James K, is an artist and musician based in NYC; Huerco S is the project of Brian Leeds, a Kansas-born, Philly-based musician who also performs as Pendant, West Mineral Ltd., and Loidis. The new James K record, Friend, is out September 5, so to celebrate, the longtime friends got on a Zoom call to catch up. — Annie Fell, Editor-in-chief, Talkhouse Music Brian Leeds: When did we meet? It had to be in Berlin, right? Jamie Krasner: No, I don’t think so.
Kazu Makino (Blonde Redhead) and Miki Berenyi (Lush) Have a Lot In Common
Kazu Makino fronts the NYC rock band Blonde Redhead; Miki Berenyi is a singer-songwriter who fronted the shoegaze band Lush, currently fronts Piroshka and Miki Berenyi Trio, and is the author of the 2022 memoir Fingers Crossed. Blonde Redhead’s latest record, The Shadow of the Guest, came out on section1 earlier this summer, so to celebrate, Kazu and Miki got on a Zoom call to catch up. — Annie Fell, Editor-in-chief, Talkhouse Music Kazu Makino: The book [Miki’s memoir] really impacted me.
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